16.5 Kelsey hayes wheels?

[86M10086.2L]

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on a set of the 8 lug 16.5 inch plain steel wheels like the ones Alpha Heaven uses to mount the HMMWV tires on their CUCV's? They are wider than the M880 series wheel. I just picked up a set of brand new 36 inch Goodyears for a price I couldn't pass up. I have a set of aftermarket aluminum rims that I could use them on now and thought about painting them carc green or flat black, but I would like to get the steel rims to better preserve the military look of my M1008. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hobie237]

Good luck with that. I was considering the HMMWV tires since I could get them cheap from TNJ Murray just an hour down the road. The issue was wheels to put them on, the cheapest route I could find was a set from Summit with the correct backspacing and width, about $55 each. I was watching a set of steel wheels on eBay, even bid on them, but gave up after it went over $150 (not including shipping, which was a little over $100) for the set. You can try local junkyards, I guess, but they're not a common size wheel, and they're not worth that much, so most of the junkyards just end up selling them as scrap iron.

 

[IRWFO]

This company can custom make nearly anything you can think of in wheels. http://www.stocktonwheel.com/military_wheels.php

 

[hobie237]

Well, yeah, but at what cost? That's what drove me away- like I said, for a few hundred bucks I could have had brand new wheels from Summit or stockish looking ones, but when I added it up, it made more sense to find a good set of tires that would go on the stock wheels.

But hey, if somebody is more willing to pay than I, there are a ton of options.

 

[86M10086.2L]

As I said, I have a set or rims already I can mount them on. I was just hoping for a more stock looking option. I tried talking to Alpha but I haven't heard from them yet. I guess it's nothing some flat black or 383 spray paint can't fix. And for the money I couldn't pass on these tires. The stock rims are great but your limited to 285's or some skinny 35's. If they were a little wider, I wouldn't be looking for anything else.

 

[hobie237]

Like I said, the stockish wheels are out there, they just can get pricey. Just keep watching eBay and the junkyards (www.car-part.com comes to mind) and sooner or later some should come up, just be prepared to pay shipping. If you're willing to pay, you can get custom wheels made up, too, as posted above- there's nothing that can't be had for the right price. The question is what you're willing to pay.

Personally I don't care that much about maintaining military-ish wheels, if anything I'd just paint the ones you have, but that's just me.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Summit Racing is your best bet as most of the GM OEM 16.5" wheels are from the very early 80's at the newest.

Stockton gets pricey QUICKLY.


Oh yeah, last I knew all Alfa did on their pickups was use old 16.5" GM wheels. That's all mine were...had the painted over rust to prove it too...

 

[86M10086.2L]

I'm not concerned with age. I'm not building a show truck or towing any heavy loads. When I spoke to Tom at alpha he said he was using Dodge rims on all the trucks. 16.5x8.something, with the 8 lug pattern. He said they came on either the M880 or any 3/4 ton W200 from 1972-1990. unfortunatley every yard around me says there are all 6 3/4 inches wide. I guess I'll just mount them up on my Aluminum rims, and swap them over if and when I find replacements.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Ummmm yeah...read our posts about Alfa...take EVERYTHING that guy says with a grain of salt...or enough to defrost Alaska...

 

[kennyw]

I just picked up a set of 16.5 x 8.25 wheels for free last week... out here they are usually being thrown away because no one wants them. My pickup has a set of aftermarket black 16.5 x 9.75 wheels that I bought with a set of HMMV 37" tires at a local swap meet for $100.

Search craigslist, swapmeets, backyard sales, wrecking yards, etc. They are out there and can be had cheap if you know what your looking for.

 

[86M10086.2L]

so just to reassure myself that what I'm looking for actually exsists. You got a set of plain jane stamped steel rims like what the trucks came with in a 16.5 x 8.25 8 lug?

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Used - yes but they'll be old and probably rusty.

New - yes but they'll be expensive likely.

New but of the D-hole or wagon wheel variety - yes, in droves.

 

[kennyw]

Used - yes but they'll be old and probably rusty

That just depends on where you live... the ones I have are rust free 16.5 x 8.25 factory GM 8 lug plain steel wheels.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

True, but he's in the rust belt like me. Shipping them in from somewhere else would be an option but there goes the cheap aspect of it.


Huh...8.25" wide factory rim? What were they on? All my manuals mention the 6.25" or so wide rims and 7" wide tires!

 

[hobie237]

Set just like that went on eBay a couple weeks ago for around $200, plus $100-$150 shipping, depending on location.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The factory 8.25 and 9.75 wheels usually need a spacer to run them on the front, very deep backspacing. I've had them in the past and needed to run a 1" spacer on the front. The nice thing is they usually assist in keeping the tires from contacting the fenders.

 

[84cucv1ton]

you can put the 36s on stock chevy rims?

 

[hobie237]

The ones that were on eBay had 4.75 (I think) backspacing.

84cucv1ton, if you mean the HMMWV 36s, then no. They require a 16.5" rim.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Stock GM 16.5" rims yes. When I bought my truck the HMMWV 36's were on old GM 16.5x6.25 wheels. Probably 70's vintage rims.

 

[hobie237]

My mistake, should have clarified that they won't fit on the stock CUCV wheels, but they will fit on wheels that were offered stock on other years/models of Chevy trucks.